21-yr-old Serial Burglar Arrested in Thantlang

20 September 2011: A 21-year-old Chin man who broke into and stole from shops, houses and church in Thantlang Town, Chin State has been jailed by the local Police on Sunday.

Cung Lian Sang, from Mucu Block, Hakha Town, was arrested in Pancherry Restaurant while having dinner around 9pm for having committed a series of burglaries since 11 September 2011.

“Now that he has been in police custody, we feel safe,” a local female from Thantlang told Chinland Guardian.

The Chin serial burglar, who was released from imprisonment for burglary in government’s amnesty in May this year, is reported to have secretly broken into up to 7 houses in Thantlang alone within this month, stealing around 500,000 kyats, according to the local police officer.

“He [Cung Lian Sang] took money and properties as well as clothes on several occasions. So, the town elders and YMCA members made attempts to arrest him in Thantlang but not successful,” said another Thantlang local.

Cung Lian Sang admitted during an interrogation by the authorities that he stole 200,000 kyats from a house of Pu Than Cuai in Lungtial Block, and 36,000 kyats from Assembly of God Church in Thantlang, according to the police officer.

In 2006, Cung Lian Sang was arrested for robbery and sentenced to imprisonment with hard labour but was later put in children prison because of his young age.

About 20 miles away from Hakha, Thantlang has got over 1,600 houses with more than 7,000 people.

Reporting by Thawng Zel Thang